A pick-up can be the ideal tool for all kinds of jobs. Whether you need to transport heavy goods on a frequent basis or like to take mountain bikes on big adventures, a pick-up truck is something that can make the toughest of jobs a little easier.
Though the pick-up market might have been dwindling over the last few years, there’s still some good variety out there to consider. Let’s see what’s on offer today.
Ford Ranger
Ford’s Ranger has routinely proven to be one of the most popular pick-up trucks in the UK. It’s not hard to see why, either, as with a robust chassis setup and a rugged yet comfortable interior, you can push it to the limit-off road and still have a reasonably refined experience when you return to the paved sections.
There are a good number of specifications to choose from, too, including the range-topping Raptor which throws in a punchy V6 petrol engine and a range of performance upgrades which make it near-peerless on the rough stuff.
Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster
The Grenadier Quartermaster is one of the newest additions to the pick-up market and it does so with a healthy dose of style. Like the standard Grenadier, the Quartermaster is available with BMW-sourced engines which are smooth and responsive. The pleasant gearbox comes courtesy of the German manufacturer, too.
It’s got enough load space to carry a full-sized Euro pallet, too, and just like the standard car should prove very capable off-road.
Volkswagen Amarok
The first-generation Volkswagen Amarok showed that pick-up trucks could drive just as pleasantly as a large SUV and it still continues to deliver a similar experience into its second-generation. Today, the Amarok sits on the same platform as the Ford Ranger but brings a slightly more upmarket experience than its American cousin.
There’s loads of good equipment inside and the whole interior is built solidly as well. Fortunately, it’s backed up by decent off-road manners as well.
Maxus T90EV
It’s not something you expect to find in this list – an electric vehicle. However, Maxus has bucked the trend by delivering its completely battery-powered T90EV, which is here to show that EVs can be just as practical as their combustion-engined counterparts.
It can match many rivals in terms of its load-carrying ability and should be able to return over 200 miles from a single charge. Top-up using cheap home energy rates and it’ll prove a lot cheaper to run than others on this list, too.
KGM Musso
KGM – which was formerly known as Ssangyong – has one of the more hard-wearing pick-ups on the market today with its Musso. It’s available in a variety of specifications, too, with all getting a trustworthy 2.2-litre diesel engine under the bonnet.
Available with both manual and automatic gearboxes, the Musso is a truck which punches well above its weight in terms of capability.
Isuzu D-Max
The D-Max remains one of the ‘core’ pick-ups on sale in the UK today and it’s one which has been around for a little while now. Solidly made and with a 1.9-litre diesel engine under the bonnet, the D-Max is very much a ‘tool’ that will get the job done.
You can also get it in head-turning Arctic Trucks specification, too, which adds in huge wheels and massively bolstered arches for even more performance off-road.
